Friday, September 6, 2013

FanDuel Fantasy Football: Will The Rookie Quarterbacks Have Any Fantasy Value?

The Buffalo Bills and New York Jets have fully committed to the rebuilding process when they named EJ Manuel and Geno Smith respectively to be Week 1 starters. Going with rookie quarterbacks are a risky proposition for any NFL team, but several clubs have had recent success. From a daily fantasy sports perspective, will either quarterback actually turn into a nice option?

There seems to be a load of talent around the NFL at the quarterback position, so breaking into the top 10 or even the top 15 is a difficult thing to do. People who play daily fantasy sports are more likely to target either rookie, basically because it is all about matchups. Manuel and Smith might not be a weekly start, but in a favorable matchup, they may be worth the risk.

As far as who will be the better option between the two, right now Manuel is going a bit higher. The Bills probably have a bit more offensive firepower at this point, and he does not have another quarterback on his heels like Smith does with Mark Sanchez. Buffalo plans to run a hurry-up offense this season as well, which means the rookie from Florida State will get a lot more plays than the average signal caller.

Thanks to Sanchez’s shoulder injury, Smith is the starter for the time being for the Jets. He will have to play well to hold onto his job, and his weak preseason already has some people worried. Do not expect him to be drafted much in daily fantasy sports, but he does have sleeper potential down the road.

In the last two seasons, rookie quarterbacks have gone on to great seasons for their team and for fantasy owners. This 2013 class might not be as strong, but they are worth keeping an eye on to start the season.